Anyone interested in making a 2d fantasy medieval RPG?

[rejenorst]

Hi guys, I have been toying around in my head for a while wanting to make a 2d rpg/rts dark medieval/fantasy game.

the reason I say 2D is because I'd like to start small and focus on story and gameplay elements. Having worked on 3D games before I can safely say I don't want to sit for several years dealing with multiple technical issues as to engine capability/renderers and the ability of coders to perform x,y,z complex tasks. It just isn't feasible for a small team.

I am in the middle of an assignment at the moment should be finished this week after which I can do a lnegthy post regarding story/mechanics/direction/marketing etc.

Any profits of the project would be split equally in order to balance the costs/opportunity cost each party may incur (I would definitley have to pay for a few bits and pieces on my end).

I don't expect any major profits or anything and would do sales online if anything were to eventuate.

The purpose of this initial post is merely to get a hands up on who can actually code and has some experience in coding 2d scrollers (most likely tile based) and who has some experience in doing detailed sprites. I would most likely be looking at a top down view for the game so as to be able to do indoor areas as that would be difficult/limited in isometric views. 

I myself can compose music,sfx and voices (Have done voices for Warlords Battlecry 3, Mount&Blade, E3/5 jagged Union, 7.92mm.) I can also do some artwork such as portraits and events and color them.

For this project I would prefer you were 18 or over.

I will do a much longer post by next week but for now I am just curious if there is 1) coders with some experience around 2) graphic artists and 3) if the idea is worth pursuing.

Any post here expressing interest will be treated as such, this is not a call for commitment of any sort.

Thank you.


Quick concept for one of the major storyline races :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncSSVL7QK7c

 

[Llew2]

Very interesting.  Sounds like a cool concept.

I'd be interested in a graphics capacity, though I can't make commitments at the moment. Did you have any particular games which inspired you make one of your own? Concept art?

Also, are you considering actual 2D, or isometric? I personally am a fan of isometric, in the vein of Shadowflare and Siege of Avalon, or Sacred 1.

 

[QuailLover]

I would love to help out with the story aspect, and I can also do concept art.

I've always wanted to help out on a project like this.

 

[rejenorst]

Very interesting.  Sounds like a cool concept.

I'd be interested in a graphics capacity, though I can't make commitments at the moment. Did you have any particular games which inspired you make one of your own? Concept art?

Also, are you considering actual 2D, or isometric? I personally am a fan of isometric, in the vein of Shadowflare and Siege of Avalon, or Sacred 1.

Im open to suggestions on all fronts regarding mechanics/gameplay and isometric/top down views it will just depend on feasibility, I think if the artwork feels right then the isometric/top down view won't be a huge issue but I am guessing that isometric views would seriously tax both the graphics artist(s) and the coder(s) and present new/lengthy challenges.

As far as inspiration goes this is a very loose/vivid list I can give you emphasising what I like(d) about each one:

-Baldurs Gate (Characters and artwork along with storyline and freedom made this a beutifully executed game.)

-Disciples 2 (The ambiance of this dark game was amazing)

-Morrowind/Oblivion (More for the personalization of the story rather than anything else)

-Stronghold (Some of the game mechanics were quite good)

-Warlords Battlecry 3 (Interesting RPG elements with good artwork and decent music even if I felt the races were a little to stereotypical or a bit out there, the variety of choice however was great).

Will post more if anything comes to mind.



Also I am very good at writing but I have to admit I have a slight weakness in terms of inspiration and character development and would welcome help in that area. In most cases changes/suggestions would be discussed with the whole team to try and get the feel/ambiance right and bounce ideas back and forwards.



One particular thing in terms of gameplay mechanics I would really like to find alternatives to is the health bar of units. I HATE having to constantly heal units. I would love to see an intuitive dice roll affair for units in combat where potentially you do see a single unit being able to slash his way through a few guys before going down based on stats. This would have to be seriously fine tuned but I would hope that the character would be enticed to not treat units as a collective but as individuals who may or may not grow on you and have their own agenda(s).

That would be ideal but whether or not that is feasible is another story. I will post more in the near future on ideas/thoughts.

 

[QuailLover]

Well I can help out with both of those aspects.

 

[Majhudeen]

I can help with sprites if it's 2D.

One question. Will this be a side scroller, something like Monkey Island type style, or will it be an over the top veiw?

As for your "annoying" healing problems I got a solution.

This may detract from the fantasy bit, granted im not a huge fan of magic, but use realistic strikes. Armor will give your units a certain amount of points. But your units have 2 random options. They eithier die or get injured. It gets more realistic and more bloody battles this way instead of a grindfest. Their armour blocks it, or if they got a sheild/ weapong they can block the blow with their weapon. As for the injuries, injuries would slow a unit down, like make him limp.

For an idea as well, as done in Celtic Kings, could you also have food as a mechanic like feeding your troops?

 

[rejenorst]

Ok cool. Once I can see we have coders interested I'll start getting people to post some samples.
Obviously it will be difficult to get coders to show samples upfront so I would have to chat to them over skype and discuss their knowledge/experience with coding programs and what problems and concerns they forsee given the project elements etc.

I can help with sprites if it's 2D.

One question. Will this be a side scroller, something like Monkey Island type style, or will it be an over the top veiw?

Most likely over the top view to incorporate some RTS elements, I am uncertain however how far we can take the RTS elements.

 

[Majhudeen]

Alright. I just need the details on the factions and various things and I'll start getting concepts ready and testers. Then we'll improve on it from there.

Mind you due to my budgeted time I won't be able to devote all my energy to this, granted Im working on the SPO team as well. But I'll cough out a fully sprited unit/thing every like 2 weeks, mabye less mabye more. Around there.

EDIT: Yeah, I'd also like to suggest storyline. I helped with SPO's storyline with Pixel after all, after many a game in our Serva Roleplaying map on Age of Empires 2, where the idea was conceived through our gameplay.

 

[QuailLover]

Actually if you post some more details, I could start churning out some character ideas, and possibly the basic storyline. If you want that is.

 

[rejenorst]

As for your "annoying" healing problems I got a solution.

This may detract from the fantasy bit, granted im not a huge fan of magic, but use realistic strikes. Armor will give your units a certain amount of points. But your units have 2 random options. They eithier die or get injured. It gets more realistic and more bloody battles this way instead of a grindfest. Their armour blocks it, or if they got a sheild/ weapong they can block the blow with their weapon. As for the injuries, injuries would slow a unit down, like make him limp.

For an idea as well, as done in Celtic Kings, could you also have food as a mechanic like feeding your troops?

This is kind of what I am looking for is a wounded/dead/Healthy/Strong/Beast type affair with a mix of armored stats that may or may not protect the unit (or even cause a hinderence/disadvantage).
The unit would heal itself over time but we can also include magical elements into it but I don't want an overall reliance on magic. For the magic aspect of the game I would like it to be unique in some way, possibly deadly in other ways but how to translate that into gameplay and or objectives for the player is still up for consideration. Magic should if used should be rare but not useless if you know what I mean.

Also if you've played that RTS (forgot what it was called) based on the viking settlers where you could assign bonuses to individual units then you get an idea of something I would like to add but to a more complex level.


EDIT: I don't want to get carried away into the story just yet, first want to see how things are in the human resource department. I have a friend in Australia who is a software engineer, we were at one point supposed to make a game but he wanted to do it in 3D which inevitably ended up failing as I predicted but I believe he may be interested in helping out once things get underway but I make no gurantees.

 

[QuailLover]

I would say that magic user in battle would have to remain stationary for several turns as they...hmm...either communicate with the element or draw the needed symbols on the ground. That way the magic user would be completely vulnerable and would have to be protected.

I also say that all powers should be AoE. No magic snipers.

 

[rejenorst]

There's definatley a lot of balancing options one can put into play. I will post my storyline/ideas in the next few days as a starting/anchor point and will try and get some feedback from there. I have some ideas as to the laws of magic within the storyline that one can then extrapolate and turn into game mechanics or use to generate ideas/solutions. Will pm you once that's posted.

 

[Majhudeen]

Alright.


However, without some basis of lore I cannot do anything. However I do wish to make this clear:

Since you want this RPGRTS to take on a more unique role, especially in Magic, take something not done often.

For magic, I'd change it to something more related to telepathy or the mind of a user. Have it where a guy has to have certain materials available and make it with actual realistic physics and science. If I want to crap lightning out of my ass and fry that guy there, I have to have some form of energy. This energy could be something like throwing conductive power in the air, then using that guys telekenesis to spurt out a electronic discharge, making the thing travel in said direction. Of course he is special because he can guide the electricity,the jump,the way he wants it, but he can't do anything extreme if he has no way to assist his magic.

Simple things like that.  As for the races, we should have it sort of diffrent then Earthern cultures. Don't make something stereotypical of course but don't make something entirely weird. Such as making a zombie a intellectual wizard that rides a dragon. Thats just silly.

But as for an idea, if were stuck on preset tile sets or whatever, how about we blend and mesh stuff together, make a race that wears something like Pickelhaubes and modified Hoplite armour with a Egyptian War axe and sheild? Stuff like that can go a long way and if you blend it right, it'll look good. I'll do a sprite of that actually just quick to show you what I mean.

 

[rejenorst]

For magic, I'd change it to something more related to telepathy or the mind of a user. Have it where a guy has to have certain materials available and make it with actual realistic physics and science. If I want to crap lightning out of my ass and fry that guy there, I have to have some form of energy. This energy could be something like throwing conductive power in the air, then using that guys telekenesis to spurt out a electronic discharge, making the thing travel in said direction. Of course he is special because he can guide the electricity,the jump,the way he wants it, but he can't do anything extreme if he has no way to assist his magic.

If I am not mistaken, you are probably on the same page as me in this regard. I like the idea of magic being an energy (explainable by physics/chemistry) form that can be manipulated by the rare few who have that ability and have trained in it.

I would however like to see magic divided into a few subgroups which however runs me into a few problems of not being unique in terms of fantasy:

1) telekenetics (I am not sure if thats the right word and I would like a more arcane word to describe it but I am just going with this for explainatory purposes.)

Manipulation of various forms of energy in and around the caster. Requires x,y,z skills particularly in regards to focus. Drawing on what Quailover mentioned and what you've mentioned. If the caster is disturbed (such as by an arrow or a strike) while casting the spell, the energy may disipitate or form a violent reaction when the conditions of containment are nullified. Meaning it could pose a danger to you and those around you if the caster is disturbed/interupted. This could be extremely dangerous with spells that manipulate high amounts of energy and should only be attempted by casters with high levels of focus or ability x,y,z.

2) Arcane magics, wards/enchantments/curses though this type of magic draws from the same principles as energy manipulation, it is more to do with the caster imparting an internal energy 9drawn from self) into an external object. Words have power for/to those who believe in them. Potential concepts of disbelief and superstition could hold strong positive or negative effect given the mindset of the caster/victim (just some ideas.)

3)Supernatural (Probably the most feared and banned type of magic typical to necomantic arts) where casters summon spirits into physical beings with unpredictable effect/consequences/benefits as the entity will have a will of its own unless the caster is strong enough to bend that will to his purpose. Some schools of thought believe this to be nothing more than the casters manifestation of conscious will, and that a caster who is at odds with himself is more likely to manifest a force that seeks him harm. Others claim otherwise.


Those are some of the ideas I have, I think the 3rd one is a departure from the physics side of things but we can have various thoughts represented to explain both skeptical and non skeptical superstition in the game itself so that players can make up their own mind and have their imagination fill in some of the gaps perhaps?
 

As for the races, we should have it sort of diffrent then Earthern cultures. Don't make something stereotypical of course but don't make something entirely weird. Such as making a zombie a intellectual wizard that rides a dragon. Thats just silly.

But as for an idea, if were stuck on preset tile sets or whatever, how about we blend and mesh stuff together, make a race that wears something like Pickelhaubes and modified Hoplite armour with a Egyptian War axe and sheild? Stuff like that can go a long way and if you blend it right, it'll look good. I'll do a sprite of that actually just quick to show you what I mean.

As far as races are concerned, I am not 100% sure as to what I would like to see but I would like to keep it slightly traditional. I don't want to depart to far away from the stereotypical in this sense but the majority race should be human, while I am considering gameplay elements for the undead in magical terms described above but I would prefer that differing races be rarer. Dwarves and Elves I wouldn't mind but so long as they are rare, somewhat reclusive and don't crop up to much to screw up the storyline. I am open to various concepts but as you said it would have to be properly represented.

I am sort of in favor of drawing from medieval/gothic superstition by looking at historical writings of what people believed at the time and perhaps extracting ideas from that.

As for the armor/clothes I would want to see something that fits into a 1000AD - 1300AD frame and work on it from there. I would want to avoid anime style armors and try and keep a dark/gothic medieval theme going.

Pickel haube for example came in around 1800's I think and kind of removes the suspense of dibelief if you know what I mean.

 

[QuailLover]

Just as an FYI the proper term for your "telekenetics" is psionics.

 

[rejenorst]

Just as an FYI the proper term for your "telekenetics" is psionics.

Just need to convert that into something more ethereal/medieval/arcane sounding

 

[QuailLover]

Of course. How about scrying?

 

[Majhudeen]

Well, I do agree that certain iconic races such as Dwarves, Humans and Elves, whatever, should be represented.

However, I mtired of seeing Humans on a dominant role. Make Humans more of a qaurrelsome faction within itself, and various types of Human factions. Humans should not be united, you can even make diffrent species and races.

As for the technology, whats the limit on this? Im guessing you want it kind of Medieval, but I like the sound of an Ancient age- Late Medieval technology. In Earth terms, mabye from 3000 BCE- 1560 CE? Im not sure. Somewhere along there sounds good.

 

[rejenorst]

Of course. How about scrying?

The commoners will call it magicka/magic/sorcery

The mages themselves refer to it by school of thought, (scrying sounds interesting)

looked it up on wikipedia :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrying
There's some interesting related words such as the persian book: Shahnameh


Definitley worth exploring these options.

I also have a gothic dictionary (Germanic language 800AD apprx)
were scorch for example is: uf-brinnan, sv

Maybe there's some potential to rip words out of the Gothic language and mix them around.
Will explore this further in the near future.

However, I mtired of seeing Humans on a dominant role. Make Humans more of a qaurrelsome faction within itself, and various types of Human factions. Humans should not be united

I definatley agree that Humans should not be united as a whole. They should be split into loosely united nationality/factions/guilds/gangs/etc.. and on an individual level be capable of usurping/defecting/etc... and these loose bonds should probably be evolving during the game which is where I hope some RTS elements can come in handy.

The way I look at it from an RPG sense is that the player should be represented in the game as a unit (before you wince at the posibility of sudden death i have that covered in the storyline but will expand on that later). The character will have units rally to his/her cause/faction depending on personal traits/rewards etc. I still need to flesh that idea out and I know I am getting caught up in small details here without having actually paved the road with an actual storyline. I will post more in the near future. However for my part I feel more comfortable with human majority in the game in a dark war torn setting where the player can choose his allegiance and or ultimately go it alone and create his own destiny.

I will have more details on concepts in next few days as I know its pretty important for everyone to have a basic story line from which to generate impressions.

Feel free however to continue making suggestions as I do read them and can draw from them.

 

[Majhudeen]

Alright. Thats fine. But do me a favor. Keep the generic good vs evil crap out of this sort of fantasy. Sure, ti's a Medieval like fantasy, but I personally don't like the idea of "He's a bad guy and he's here to kill everyone for random reason!"sort of idea.

Greed is probable, but im sure every faction has it's own ideals, it's own purpose for doing whatever. There is no bad or good guys really in this, everyone is out for their own faction and the benefit of THEIR ideals as whole. In other words, no holy paladins that are global saviors or some dark necromancer thats out to kill everyone. Each group has it's purpose and it's trying to acheive it. it seems much more intresting then granted the player can actualyl identify with each groups veiwpoitn and mabye even sympathise, or hate, their group on that aspect. It would add new dimensions to gameplay.
In that way, it deosn't even have to be too advanced. Simply fighting for survival and expansion could work, with underlying visiosn for society backing their claim up.


Also, concept art for some maritime race. Particularly a gloomy coastal one.

Edit: Sorry about the qaulity on this one, Photobucket kind of crapped it out. See if you can zoom in for the finer details though, shading got a bit screwed on the helm.